---
title: "Purchase of a Specialised Mechanical Tester"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH"
published: "2026-02-02"
---

# Purchase of a Specialised Mechanical Tester

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325

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## Summary

The University of Edinburgh has concluded a public procurement process titled "Purchase of a Specialised Mechanical Tester," completed with the award dated 29th January 2026. This procurement, under the education sector and classified under the CPV code 38000000 for goods, focuses on acquiring a CellScale MicroTester G2. The procurement method was limited and specifically undertaken without a prior call for competition, justified by technical reasons. The process was intended to support the Institute for Materials and Processes with a specific technological need. The location for delivery is in Edinburgh, UKM75, and the contract, valued at £63,188, has been actively awarded to World Precision Instruments Ltd.

This tender represents substantial business growth opportunities, particularly for firms specialising in niche mechanical testing equipment. The limited procurement approach, combined with the technical specificity, suggests that organisations with capabilities in providing highly specialised scientific instruments are advantaged. Businesses such as large-scale suppliers with existing relationships or an ability to offer unique technological fitments are well-suited for such opportunities. Companies aiming to secure similar contracts should focus on developing bespoke technological solutions that meet precise academic or technical requirements.

## Notice

CellScale MicroTester G2

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Institute for Materials and Processes require a mechanical tester for polymeric and microstructured materials in situ with integrated imaging and image correlation. More specific requirements include small-scale samples (of the order 50 mm - 10 mm) of polymers, composites, soft materials, foams, gels, and fibrous materials, including individual fibres and microplates (used as fillers in composite materials). The instrument should be able to acquire force - distance curves (tensile, compression, shear geometries) with force resolution down to the microNewton (uN) level and distance resolution down to 0.1 mm. These need to be combined with a force capacity of ~0.5 N and grip separations in the range of 10 mm, which are unusually large for the small force and distance resolution required.

### Procurement Information

The Institute for Materials and Processes require a mechanical tester for polymeric and microstructured materials in situ with integrated imaging and image correlation. More specific requirements include small-scale samples (of the order 50 mm - 10 mm) of polymers, composites, soft materials, foams, gels, and fibrous materials, including individual fibres and microplates (used as fillers in composite materials). The instrument should be able to acquire force - distance curves (tensile, compression, shear geometries) with force resolution down to the microNewton (uN) level and distance resolution down to 0.1 mm. These need to be combined with a force capacity of ~0.5 N and grip separations in the range of 10 mm, which are unusually large for the small force and distance resolution required. The CellScale MicroTester G2 fully fulfils these requirements and is a unique instrument. Based on this, we are awarding the contract to World Precision Instruments (the UK distributor) via the NCA route, on the basis that competition is absent for technical reasons.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB548537 |
| Notice type | PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 2 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 29 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £63,188 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH1 1HT |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | City Centre |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh East and Musselburgh |
| Delivery location | TLM75 City of Edinburgh |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | WORLD PRECISION INSTRUMENTS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

## Release History

- 2 Feb 2026 at 00:00 - Award - PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB548537

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB548537
  Purchase of a Specialised Mechanical Tester - CellScale MicroTester G2

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.ed.ac.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000822325.json.